Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Hey gang, I was wondering how many of you use (and how often you use) alternate fingerings for the open C and D chords. By that I mean using fingers 2-4 instead of 1-3.

I can see where they could be useful, but I've never seen it in videos or heard of it being taught.

Reason i ask is because I recently encountered a song which called for an Emaj7, and to get the right tonality it was a Cmaj7 shape barred on fret 4. Not exactly the same (because I can reach the A and D strings with fingers 2 and 3 while barring), but thinking about that it made me think about the possibilities for the full C shape all the way up the neck.

The D wouldn't be a full barre necessarily; you only need to fret the D string two above where the G is fretted. Again, rare (I guess), but it would work.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Well, not really rare. These are examples of the portability of open chord shapes. If you can fret the five basic chord shapes (C A G E D), you are never more than two frets away from any chord. The next time you see a really good guitar player, pay attention to the shapes his fretting hand makes as he works the neck.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

jerome.oneil wrote:

That's not Mark Knopfler (apparently it's somebody called Pedro Javier Gonzalez), but I get it. Some of the work he does starting around the 6:40 mark is so surreal it makes me think that aliens are among us.

Anyway, I watched both videos. The C shape is good all the way up the neck for the A, D and B strings, but unless I missed it I still haven't seen anyone do the full barre C such that A, D, G, B and e are all in play.

In other words, make a C with fingers 2-4 and barre above finger 2 with the index. That's what I was asking about. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Astronomikal wrote:

jerome.oneil wrote:

That's not Mark Knopfler (apparently it's somebody called Pedro Javier Gonzalez), but I get it. Some of the work he does starting around the 6:40 mark is so surreal it makes me think that aliens are among us.

Gah. Good thing I don't read Spansh.

Anyway, I watched both videos. The C shape is good all the way up the neck for the A, D and B strings, but unless I missed it I still haven't seen anyone do the full barre C such that A, D, G, B and e are all in play.

In other words, make a C with fingers 2-4 and barre above finger 2 with the index. That's what I was asking about. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

Take a look at his hand shapes during his run right around the 3:30 point. At the 3:27 mark he's using a closed C shape to play E.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

jerome.oneil wrote:

At the 3:27 mark he's using a closed C shape to play E.

Ah, OK. Got it. I think I was looking for a big barre and it didn't stand out. I only just realized that you need only barre the first three strings (really only 1 and 3) in order to move the C shape up the neck and bring all five into play.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Hello EveryoneI have only just started to play, I am having a real problem with the C Chord. My fingers just wont reach. The arthritis is really causing a problem for me. Does anyone have any suggestions for an replacement for this chord.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Whatch where your thumb is on the back of the neck. If your thumb is reaching over the top of the neck it is much harder to reach. Put the pad of your thumb on the back of the neck and get your wrist way out in front.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Also Alison, if you have arthritis in your hands, as have I, try working some scales or warmup exercises before you play. There are a slew of them on Youtube. I also keep a tube of Ben Gay right handy.

- Zurf

"Forced means you're painting a train blue." - Jets60"If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome!" - Mekidsmom"Don't ever apologize for what you have worked hard for." - Pete BensonOfficial recipient of B chord amnesty.